Reclosable carton

ABSTRACT

A lidded container, in particular of the type with a flip-top lid, comprises a blank made from a sheet of laminar material where fold lines and creases define a front panel ( 2 ), a rear panel ( 3 ), a first side panel ( 4 ) and a second side panel ( 5 ) that together form a substantially box-shaped structure closed at the bottom. The rear panel has extending upwards from the top of it a flap ( 15 ) equipped with a front overlap and side tucks ( 17, 18 ) that can be folded and attached to the front overlap to form a lid. The tucks present respective tabs ( 19, 20 ) lying inside the lid on the front overlap. The front panel has extending upwards from it a lip ( 27 ) that engages with the tabs on the tucks when the lid is snap closed over the front panel.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a container, in particular, a container for food products.

BACKGROUND ART

Known containers or boxes for pasta or similar products normally consist of a box-shaped body made from a carton blank where fold lines and creases define a front panel, a rear panel and two side panels that together form a box-like structure closed at the top and at the bottom by corresponding flaps which are glued to each other at appropriate points. To gain access to the pasta inside a prismatic box of this kind, it is necessary to break the upper flaps forming the top panel of the box. Once the flaps are broken, the box cannot be re-closed, with the risk and nuisance that any unused product inside the box may fall out when the box is subsequently handled, and that extraneous material may contaminate the product inside it.

Prior art containers include containers of the flip top type where the lid can be snap closed and which are made from blanks consisting of sheets of laminar material in which fold lines and creases define a front panel, a rear panel and two side panels that together form a substantially box-shaped structure closed at the bottom and equipped with a lid and whose front panel presents an outwardly folding lip. This lip engages with a pair of tabs located on the inside of the lid so as to hold the lid in contact with the front panel of the container, thus closing the container. This type of closure is substantially deigned to stop the container from opening accidentally. To open it, it is necessary to exert a slight upward pressure on the lid in such a way as to disengage the lip from the tabs, thus releasing the lid and gaining access to the inside of the container. When the lid is re-lowered, the lip once again engages the pair of tabs and the container is closed.

Containers of this kind are small-sized and normally used to contain small items of confectionery such as sweets, drops or chewing gum and have an overwrapping of plastic film which seals it and which must be torn before the container can be opened for the first time to gain access to the products inside.

The present invention has for an object to provide an improved container that can be re-closed after being opened and that, at the same time, guarantees an effective seal, especially if used to contain food products, without necessitating the use of a protective overwrap.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container that can be made from a blank consisting of a sheet of laminar material that involves limited quantities of processing waste.

Yet another object of the present invention is to accomplish the above mentioned objects through a simple structure, that is practical, easy to use and safe and whose cost is relatively low.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The above mentioned objects are accomplished by a container, in particular, a container for food products, comprising a blank made from a sheet of laminar material where fold lines and creases define a front panel, a rear panel, a first side panel and a second side panel that together form a substantially box-shaped structure open at the top; the rear panel of the box-shaped structure having extending upwards from its top edge a lid that can be opened to provide access to the products inside and re-closed to close the top of the box-shaped structure; the container being characterised in that the first and second side panels extend upwards to form side sealing wings, said side sealing wings folding inwards into the container under the lid.

The container can thus guarantee an effective seal preventing extraneous objects and impurities from contaminating the inside of the container.

According to another advantageous aspect of it, the invention provides a container whose front panel has extending upwards from the top of it a corresponding central sealing wing, said front sealing wing folding inwards into the container under the lid.

This provides a container which can be opened and re-closed and which, advantageously, comprises tamper-evident sealing means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantageous features and aspects of the invention are clearly described in the claims below and its advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred, non restricting embodiment of the flip-top container according to the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the blank made from a sheet of laminar material according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container when closed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container after being opened;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first variant of the container when closed;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the first variant of the container when open;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second variant of the container when closed;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the second variant of the container when open;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a third variant of the container when closed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety a container according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, being in particular of the type known in the trade as “flip-top” container. The container (FIG. 1) comprises a blank made from a sheet of laminar material, preferably cardboard or card, where fold lines and creases define a front panel 2 and a rear panel 3, both substantially rectangular in shape, as well as a first side panel 4 and a second side panel 5, also substantially rectangular in shape. Said panels are alternately arranged and connected along parallel edges by transversal creases 6, 7, 8. The first side panel 4 extends laterally to define a vertical tab 9 that can be connected to the front panel 2 along one edge to form a substantially box-shaped structure.

The front panel 2 and the rear panel 3 extend downwardly to define longitudinal flaps 10, 11, whilst the first and second side panels 4,5 extend downwardly to define lateral flaps 12, 13. The longitudinal flaps 10, 11 and the lateral flaps 12, 13 can be folded along a first longitudinal crease 14 and can be placed over each other in various ways to form the bottom of the container.

The rear panel 3 extends upwardly to define a rectangular flap 15 which extends further to define a front overlap 16, also rectangular in shape but smaller in height. The flap 15 extends laterally at both ends to define two tucks 17, 18, that are substantially trapezoidal in shape and have on them respective tabs 19, 20, separated from the front overlap 16 by respective slots 21, 22 with respective angular edges 23, 24. The tucks 17, 18 can be folded and attached to the front overlap 16 to form a lid, labelled 25, in such a way that the tabs 19, 20 lie inside the lid along the surface of the front overlap 16 itself.

The front panel 2 extends upwardly to define a rectangular wing 26 whose end portion, adjacent to the front panel 2, consists of a lip 27 that can be detached from it by tearing along a tear line 28. This tear line comprises a central section 29 and two angular lateral sections 30 and 31 at opposite ends.

The first side panel 4 and the second side panel 5 extend upwardly to define side wings 32, 33.

The flap 15, the lip 27 and the side wings 32, 33 can be folded along a second longitudinal crease 34.

The container according to the invention is used in the following manner: when the container is closed (FIG. 2), the lid 25 is lowered and the wing 26 is folded over the mouth of the container to close it completely. The wing 26 is also attached to the inside surface of the flap 15, whilst the side wings 32, 33 are folded inwards under the wing 26 in order to seal the sides of the container mouth.

The side sealing wings 32, 33 prevent objects from being inserted from the sides into the space between the side panels of the lid and the upper edge of the side panel of the box-shaped body of the container, even if the side panel of the container body is pressed in such a way as to bend it inwards.

The side sealing wings 32, 33 reinforce the side panels, thereby making it more difficult to bend them and making them safer against insertion of extraneous objects. The central wing 26 completes the container seal. It is therefore considerably difficult for extraneous objects to be inserted into the container.

To open the container (FIG. 3), the lid 25 is raised and the wing 26 attached to it is thus torn away from the lip 27 along the tear line 28. The wing 26 remains attached to the inside surface of the flap 15. At the same time, the lip 27 is folded outwards. When the lid is re-lowered and the side wings 32, 33 folded inwards to close the container, the lip 27 is tucked into the slots 21, 22, so that the tabs 19, 20 engage with the lip along the central portion 29, thus preventing the lid 25 from accidentally opening.

In a first variant of the container according to the invention, the side wings 32, 33, when the container is closed (FIG. 4), are folded over the top of the wing 26, whilst the part of the latter's surface that is not covered by the side wings 32, 33 is attached to the inside surface of the flap 15.

This first variant of the container is used in the following manner: to open the container (FIG. 5), the lid 25 is raised and the wing 26 attached to it is thus torn away from the lip 27 along the tear line 28 and remains attached to the inside surface of the flap 15. The side wings 32, 33 are therefore lifted and can subsequently be folded down towards the inside of the container when lid 25 is re-lowered.

In a second variant of the container according to the invention, the side wings have respective lateral tear lines 35, 36 parallel to the second longitudinal crease 34 and separated from it by respective strips 37 and 38. The lateral tear lines extend along the full width of the side wings themselves. When the container is closed (FIG. 6), the side wings 32, 33, are folded over the top of the wing 26, the part of the latter's surface that is not covered by the side wings 32, 33 is attached to the inside surface of the flap 15, and the side wings 32, 33 can be attached, at the bottom, to the wing 26 and, at the top, to the inside surface of the flap 15.

This second variant of the container is used in the following manner: When the lid 25 is raised to open the container (FIG. 7), the wing 26 and the side wings 32, 33 are torn away from the lip 27 along the tear line 28, and from the strips 37, 38 along the lateral tear lines 35, 36, and remain attached to the inside surface of the flap 15.

In a third variant of the container according to the invention (FIG. 8) the wing 26, which is not attached to the inside surface of the flap 15, is equipped with pull means 39 used to remove it manually. The pull means may consist, for example, of a semicircular recess 40 located approximately half way along the edge of the wing 26 opposite the tear line 28. The recess 40 forms a cavity 41 by which the wing 26 can be gripped and pulled up.

Advantageously, the pull means 39 might also consist, for example of a tab extending from the wing 26 or attached to it.

In yet another embodiment, related to the third variant, the pull means 39 comprise a slot, located in the area 42 along the tear line 28 and extending in a direction perpendicular to the latter, into which a finger can be inserted in order to pull up the wing 26.

The third variant of the container is used in the following manner: after lifting the lid 25 to open the container, access is gained to the pull means 39 which can be used to pull up the wing 26 in such a way as to tear the lip 27 along the tear line 28 and thus also lifting the side wings 32, 33. If the side wings 32, 33 are attached to the wing 26 and, consequently include the lateral tear lines 35, 36, the pull means 39 can be used to pull up the wing 26, thus tearing it away from the lip 27 along the tear line 28 and tearing the side wings 32, 33 away from the strips 37, 38 along the lateral tear lines 35, 36.

The container can thus guarantee an effective seal preventing extraneous objects and impurities from contaminating the inside of the container. The sealing means are tamper-evident and can easily be removed from the container when the lid is opened without hampering access to the product inside the container.

In the embodiments described above, when the container is closed and stored on a supermarket shelf, the lid is held in the closed position over the box-shaped body by suitable retaining means consisting, for example, of glue applied to one or more points between the outside surface of the front panel of the box-shaped body and the matching inside surface of the lid.

The container according to the invention is preferably and advantageously used to hold loose items of food such as sweets, chocolates and confectionery in general or other food products, such as pasta for example.

In a preferred embodiment, the container according to the invention is approximately 10 cm wide and 15 cm high, with a depth, or side panel width, of 5 cm. Equally preferred embodiments may be larger than this in size. Containers smaller than this are also imaginable.

In the container according to the invention, the side sealing wings 32, 33 and the central wing 26 may be present as alternatives to each other (that is to say, the container might have only the side sealing wings 32, 33 or only the central wing 26) or they may be combined as in the preferred embodiments described above.

It is evident, therefore, that the invention achieves the above mentioned objects.

It will be understood that the invention can be subject to modifications and variations without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept.

Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the embodiments of the invention may be made from any material, and in shape and size, depending on requirements, without departing from the scope of the claims below. 

1. A container, in particular, a container for food products, comprising a blank made from a sheet of laminar material where fold lines and creases define a front panel (2), a rear panel (3) and a first and a second side panel (4, 5) that together form a substantially box-shaped structure open at the top; the rear panel (3) of the box-shaped structure having extending upwards from its top edge a lid (25) that can be opened to provide access to the products inside and re-closed to close the top of the box-shaped structure; the container being characterised in that the first and second side panels (3, 4) extend upwards to form side sealing wings (32, 33), said side sealing wings (32, 33) folding inwards into the container under the lid (25).
 2. The container according to claim 1, characterised in that the front panel (2) has extending from the top of it a sealing wing (26), said front sealing wing (26) folding inwards into the container under the lid (25).
 3. The container according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises tabs (19, 20) lying inside the lid, and in that the front panel (2) has extending from the top of it a lip (27) that engages with the tabs (19, 20) when the lid (25) is snap closed over the front panel (2).
 4. The container according to claim 3, characterised in that the lip (26) forms part of the sealing wing (26) and can be torn away from the latter by means of a tear line (28).
 5. The container according to claim 1, characterised in that the rear panel (3) extends upwardly to define a flap (15) which extends further to define a front overlap (16) and side tucks (17, 18) that fold inwards and that can be attached to the front overlap (16) to form the lid (25), there being retaining tabs (19, 20) lying inside the lid on the front overlap (16).
 6. The container according to claim 3, characterised in that the tabs are defined by the tucks (17, 18).
 7. The container according to claim 2, characterised in that, when the container is closed, the front wing (26) is connected to the inside surface of the lid and can be separated from the lip (27) along the tear line (28) by opening the lid (25).
 8. The container according to claim 2, characterised in that, when the container is closed, the side wings are folded under the central wing.
 9. The container according to claim 2, characterised in that, when the container is closed, the side wings are folded over the top of the central wing.
 10. The container according to claim 1, characterised in that the side wings can be detached from the first and second side panels along respective tear lines in order to open the container.
 11. The container according to claim 2, characterised in that the front sealing wing (26) is attached to the lid (25).
 12. The container according to claim 2, characterised in that the side wings (32, 33) are attached to the central wing (26).
 13. The container according to claim 2, characterised in that the central sealing wing (26) comprises pull means by which it can be torn away from the lip along the tear line (28).
 14. The container according to claim 13, characterised in that the pull means comprise a semicircular recess made in the wing (26) approximately half way along the edge of it opposite the tear line and forming a cavity by which the wing can be gripped and detached along the tear line (28).
 15. The container according to claim 4, characterised in that the tear line (28) comprises a central section parallel to the front panel and two lateral sections extending at an angle in opposite directions. 